Our scripture reading for today, to which I invite you to turn with me at this time, is found in the epistle of James, the book of James, the second chapter. The book of James is near the end of the Bible after the epistles to Titus, Philemon, Hebrews. You will find the book of James before Peter, John, Jude and Revelation, James chapter two. And while you are turning, I also invite you to take out the Household sermon study sheet, which the ushers have distributed this morning as you came in. If you are still in need of a study sheet or did not receive one, please put up your hand for a moment and the ushers will speed one to you. This will help you follow along in the message this morning. And also maybe you desire to take some notes for your own personal devotional experience or your participation, perhaps, in our household ministry today, which I'll be commenting on further at the close of the service. Anyone else in need of a household study sheet. Brothers, thank you so much. We continue today with our series of studies on the vision of the Pomp and Plains Reformed Bible Church, namely to be a biblically based, faithfully reformed, caring congregation with an evangelistic missionary zeal. We have already looked to God's Word concerning the aspects of what it means to be a biblically based congregation and also a faithfully reformed congregation Today again, we look at what it means to be a caring congregation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It's commonly understood that the Apostle James, this James who penned this letter, was a brother of our Lord Jesus Christ, the leader of the church in Jerusalem. It's also interesting to note, brothers and sisters, that in James 1.1, we read, James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations. James is writing to those who were experiencing great persecution. Those who had been driven from their homes, who had been arrested or imprisoned perhaps, had their property confiscated. The very same faith which we profess here today. That is partly why James speaks extensively in this epistle of rejoicing in trials and how God sanctifies us through the hardships and the hard times of our lives. We begin our Scripture reading then in James 2, verse 1. Our Scripture reading will take us through the 13th verse of that chapter. Hear then the word of the Lord. My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes. And the poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, here's a good seat for you, but say to the poor man, you stand there or sit on the floor by my feet, have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my dear brothers, Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith? And to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him. But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of Him to whom you belong? If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself. You are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said do not commit adultery also said do not murder. If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom. Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. Thus far, the reading of God's holy Word. And as always, brothers and sisters, I ask and urge you to keep your Bibles open and handy as we look to God's Word together on this Lord's Day. And again, also to keep handy your household study sheet as we work our way through our Scripture reading for today. Dear congregation of Jesus Christ, during my recent sabbatical trip to India with Mission India, among the many things I learned was the fact that in the Indian society, the so-called caste system is still very much alive and well. For example, I learned that there are essentially five different castes or sociological classes in Hinduism. Namely, number one, the Brahman caste, or the high-level, most educated, wealthy caste. Secondly, there is the landlord caste, those who hold a great deal of property and power in India. Thirdly, there is the business people caste, consisting of shopkeepers and the like. The fourth caste is known as the artisans. The artisans, the carpenters, the tradesmen and so on. And the fifth and final and lowest caste are the untouchables. The untouchables. Society's outcasts. A caste which comprises some 32-35% of the Indian population. During that mission tour, we learn that even though Mahatma Gandhi, the great Indian nationalist leader of the early part, mid part of the 20th century, accomplished a great deal in denouncing this caste system politically. We learned again that socially, really, in practice, interpersonally, the caste system still is very much at play. As was evidenced by the fact, by the way, that I read in one of the daily newspapers while I was there that a young couple, girl was 21, the boy was 22 years of age, together committed suicide by drinking poison because Their families would not allow them to see one another simply because he was of a higher caste than she. Think of it. Think of it. You know something, dear friends, as tragic as the Indian caste system truly is, Is it not also true that you and I as believers in 21st century America also need to greatly beware the feeding or fostering of what we might term a Christian caste system? A Christian caste system. Also today. Indeed, as we turn to the study of our Scripture reading as recorded for us in James 2, verses 1-13, We find ourselves being challenged by the fact that just as was true for those twelve tribes scattered among the nations so many years ago, so too today the Word of God challenges us in no uncertain terms, saying that as Christians, as believers in Jesus Christ, individually and corporately, we also need to hear and we also need to heed these admonitions and exhortations of the Apostle James when he says, do not show favoritism to anyone. Do not show favoritism to anyone. But rather, following in the footsteps of our faithful God and Heavenly Father, we must increasingly seek to be found faithful in showing love and mercy equally to all. Thereby proving ourselves to be a caring congregation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As we consider together this third key ingredient in the stated vision of TPRBC, namely to be a biblically based, faithfully reformed, caring congregation with an evangelistic missionary zeal. Let us note that in the words of our text, the Apostle James sets forth at least three key characteristics as to what a caring congregation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ought to be, what it should look like. Now the first key characteristic of a caring congregation, our text teaches us, is that such a congregation forsakes the showing of favoritism. Such a caring congregation forsakes the showing of favoritism. Boys and Girls, Webster's Dictionary defines to forsake as to renounce and to turn away from entirely. It forsakes the showing of favoritism. For example, look at verse 1 of James 2 with me if you would please. James writes, Notice the very warm and personal and fraternal spirit with which James writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He says, my brothers, as believers in, as those who have put their faith and trust in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. The one before whom the glory and glamour and glitter of this world pales by comparison. My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't, literally, do not show favoritism. It's an imperative. It's a command in the original language. And it has a sense of ongoing action. Do not, don't show favoritism. Do not show partiality. Do not be a respecter of persons, if you will. And I believe some of the translations may translate the term that way. And then James goes on to give an example, does he not, of what such favoritism, what such partiality might look like. He says in verse 2, suppose a man comes into your meeting. The Greek word is synugogain. Synugogain. And it's where we get our English word synagogue from. Your meeting. Some translations, I believe, say it comes into your assembly. It could refer to any meeting in the life of the church. It could refer to a congregational meeting. It could refer to a youth group meeting. could refer to a Sunday school class or a men's or women's Bible study. Most generally, it refers to the official meeting, the official assembly of God's people into your worship service, if you will. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine or magnificent, splendid, brilliant clothes. And a poor man Literally, a helpless man, the Greek says. It could be translated as a homeless man, a destitute man. Someone who is at the level of a beggar, if you will. And a poor man in shabby clothes. I think the King James translates it in vile raiment or something to that effect. Suppose a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to, that is, you fawn over, let us say, the man wearing fine clothes and say, here's a good seat for you. And the Greek seems to convey a seat which is somewhat elevated above the rest. Here's a good seat for you. But say to the poor man, you stand there or sit on the floor by my feet, literally at or under my footstool. Have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? What kind of evil thoughts? Well, thoughts such as maybe that well-dressed, wealthy, fine person will befriend me. Maybe they'll do something for me. Maybe I can benefit from them somehow. Maybe they'll make a big contribution to the church. Maybe they'll become a member or whatever. We become judges who discriminate with evil thoughts, thoughts. Think of it. Think of it. Notes the Reformation Study Bible, and I quote, Though God calls us to discern and to discriminate between good and evil. Discrimination based on mere external such as economic status, racial or ethnic differences and the like is considered an evil form of judgment. And of course, and that's true. Why is that true? Well, our text goes on to teach us. Look at verses 5 and following with me, if you would, please. He says, listen, again, an imperative, my dear brothers. Now, he doesn't just say my brothers. He says, my dear brothers. He's raising the emotional heat, if you will, the emotional stakes. He says, listen, my dear brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him? Think about that. That's true, isn't it? That's true, isn't it? In fact, if I may share with you again, I saw that spiritual principle also played out firsthand while traveling through India. In fact, the founder of Mission India, brothers and sisters, Reverend John DeVries, once said this, and I quote, he said, America is a first-rate country economically. And India is a third-rate country economically. But he said, India is a first-rate country spiritually. Whereas America is a third-rate country spiritually." Think about that. What do you suppose he meant by that? Well, what John de Vries meant by that, of course, is that America is suffering greatly from what Pastor Van Dyck referred to in his very excellent message last Sunday evening from Revelation 3 on the church of Laodicea as affluenza. Affluenza. An incredible wealth and material prosperity which breeds a spiritual, putrid, lukewarmness, if you will. And by way of contrast with so many North American Christians, the Indian Christians are literally on fire for Christ, brothers and sisters. It was an incredible thing to see. Materially, economically, financially, they virtually have nothing. And yet they pray with a passionate expectancy. The little they have, they consecrate to Christ. They sing with a heartfelt, soul-stirring fervency. They worship and they witness with a Holy Spirit-inspired sense of urgency. It's incredible to behold. Incredible to behold. And so, I say to myself, yes, it's true. Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world, to be rich in faith, and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him. And you know something, brothers and sisters, that ought not to surprise us. That ought not to surprise us in the least. In fact, for example, turn with me please in the Old Testament to 1 Samuel 16. 1 Samuel 16. It's before the books of Kings and Chronicles. 1 Samuel 16. God is sending the prophet Samuel to Bethlehem, to the home of Jesse, to anoint another king to supplant King Saul. To replace King Saul. And if you'll look with me please at 1 Samuel 16, verses 6 and 7, we read, when they arrived, that is, Jesse and his son, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, surely the Lord's anointed stands here before the Lord. Big, tall, good looking guy. And Samuel said, that must be the one. But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. The Lord looks at the heart. Turn to Acts chapter 10 with me, please, in the New Testament. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts chapter 10. In Acts 10, verses 34 and 35, we read the account of Peter who has seen this vision of a large sheet coming down from heaven filled with all kinds of unclean animals which he as a Jew should not eat, and yet he receives the command from on high to take and eat. And God is teaching him that the gospel is going also not to the Jew, but to the Gentile. And he goes to the home of this Roman centurion named Cornelius. And in Acts 10, verses 34 and 35, Peter begins to speak. And he says, I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right. Who fear Him and do what is right. Turn to 1 Corinthians. Just keep going to the right with me, please. 1 Corinthians 1. Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians 1. Verses 26-29. verses 26-29. Here the Apostle Paul declares, Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards. Not many were influential. Not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and to despise things and the things that are not to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him." Glory be to God! Glory be to God! The economy and kingdom of God does things completely different than the ways of the world. Ah, but notice, back in the words of our text, verses 6 and 7 of James 2. Look with me please at verses 6 and 7. But, contrast, You have insulted, you have despised, you have demeaned, you have treated with contempt, if you will. But you have insulted the poor. You have insulted the poor. Now, James goes on with the implicit understanding that there is nothing inherently wrong with being rich. And Pastor Dale spoke elegantly to that last Sunday evening as well. And we won't repeat a number of those biblical principles. There's nothing wrong with having riches in and of themselves. Abraham was a rich man. Job was a rich man. King Solomon was a rich man. Isaac was a rich man. On and on. However, however. James goes on to say that, generally speaking, because they are the ones as a rule that have ESP. The economic, social and political power. Our text goes on saying, is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of Him to whom you belong? Or literally, the name by which you have been called. The name by which you have been called. And again, generally speaking, that was true in James Day. And generally speaking, that is true also today. And so, boys and girls, young people, my fellow adults, That being the case, why then is it that you and I are so quick to fall into a disobedient, rebellious, God-dishonoring, partiality, or favoritism, or respecter of persons concerning the economically wealthy, or the physically attractive, or the politically powerful, or the socially connected, when God is not a respecter of persons at all? At all. Think about that. Think about that. Why is that so? Well, my dear brothers and sisters, the point of all this is that in order for us, by the grace and mercy of God, to prove ourselves to be a caring congregation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, following in the footsteps of God our Father Himself, we must be a congregation which is found to be forsaking the showing of favoritism. Forsaking the showing of favoritism. Now, a second key characteristic of a caring congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, our text teaches us, is that such a congregation lives according to God's law. Such a congregation lives according to God's law. Look at v. 8 of James 2 with me, if you would please. Here we read, if you really keep the royal law found in Scripture... Why does James refer here to the royal law? Well, Matthew Henry says, and I quote, It comes from the King of Kings. That's why it's called the Royal Law. It comes from the King of Kings. And perhaps that's the reason why. Perhaps James also calls it the Royal Law because it is one of the two greatest commandments in the law according to the words of Jesus in Matthew 22, 34-40. But whatever the case, the Bible says if you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, love your neighbor as yourself. Agapao, your neighbor as yourself. Have a completely selfish, unconditional, no-strings-attached, self-serving, sacrificial love for your neighbor. Love your neighbor as yourself. Same word used in John 3.16 in the original. For God so agapao, He so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing right. You are doing well. You are doing commendably. But, contrast, if you show favoritism, and the Greek conveys a sense of ongoingness, if you are a habitual respecter of persons, if you are always showing favoritism or partiality based on such externals as skin color, or economic status, or racial or ethnic diversity, or physical attractiveness, or whatever the kind of clothes somebody's wearing, or whatever the case may be. If you show favoritism, judging, discriminating on externals, let us say, you sin. You sin. You are guilty of hamartia. You miss the mark. What is the mark? The mark is the royal law to love our neighbor as ourself. You sin, you harm Artia, you miss the mark and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers, convicted by the law as lawbreakers. Now, we might say, well, doesn't the Bible say that some sins are worse than others? Isn't it true that some sins are more heinous than others? And yes, that is true. And yes, that is what the Bible teaches. But even so, James goes on to unequivocally declare the reason for what he just said in verse 10. He says, for whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, do not commit adultery also said, do not murder. If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a law breaker. You have become a law breaker. And so, my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, let us by the grace and mercy of God, individually and collectively, seek not to be law breakers. Let us seek rather to faithfully and fruitfully fulfill the royal law, to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Now, one may ask, well, personally speaking, practically speaking, as a congregation, corporately speaking, how are we to do that? How are we to do that? Well, as always, brothers and sisters, we must allow Scripture to be our guide. Turn, for example, with me please, to the Gospel according to Matthew, the fifth chapter. Matthew chapter 5. Matthew chapter 5. In Matthew chapter 5, verses 38-42, our Lord Jesus is speaking. And in Matthew 5, 38-42, Jesus says, You have heard that it was said, eye for eye and tooth for tooth. We might paraphrase that by saying, I don't get mad, I get even. Something to that effect. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. Biblical instruction. Keep going to the right, please, to the book of Romans, the 12th chapter. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, chapter 12. Drop down to verse 9, and we look at Romans 12.9-13, where the Apostle Paul declares, Love, agape, must be sincere. Hate what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope. Patient in affliction. Faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Again, a caring congregation. Turn to 1 Corinthians 13 with me if you would please. Just keep going to the right. 1 Corinthians 13, verses 4-8a. The Apostle Paul declares love. Agape is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It is not rude. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. And then finally on this score, let's go to the book of Philippians, the second chapter. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, chapter 2, beginning in verse 1. Notice what we read. Paul writes, Philippians 2, verse 1, If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude, your mind should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. The calling of a Christian. The calling of a Christian. Now, brothers and sisters, as you and I seek personally and practically to apply these kinds of biblical principles, what would our congregation look like? What should our congregation look like? Well, let me share several practical items with you. Were we to apply these kinds of biblical principles and become increasingly a caring congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, we would increasingly be a congregation which was quick to forgive and forget hurts and slights and sins and wrongs supposedly committed against us. Have I ever hurt you? Wronged you? Sinned against you? Have you sinned against me? Have any of us hurt or wronged or harmed or sinned against one another? If so, brothers and sisters, let us pray for the grace to forgive. Let us pray for the grace to forgive so that according to Hebrews 12, 14 and 15, a root of bitterness does not grow up. and defile many. Secondly, a caring congregation is a congregation which warmly and sincerely welcomes all members and visiting friends who pass through our doors and conveys the same with a warm smile and a sincere handshake. Do you only talk to those you know or are related to on a Sunday? Or do you and I truly seek to warmly welcome and extend the right hand of fellowship to everyone whom the Lord providentially brings through our doors? Number three, a caring congregation is a congregation which opens up our homes to one another, such as is occurring in our household ministry today. and avails itself of every opportunity to meet together. Did you know that when you are not in a worship service or you are not in a Bible study or you are not in a household group or you are not in a Sunday school class, we miss you? And whether you realize it or not, you are missing us. You are missing us. The Bible says we're a body. And we need each other. We're to share each other's joys and bear each other's burdens. We are to be a hospitable congregation which opens up not only our hearts, but our homes to one another. Has anyone ever had you over? Not to entertain you, but to show you some simple hospitality. Have they had me over? My family? Have we? Have you reciprocated? And had them back again? You know, when I was out at Mid-America Seminary on a sabbatical week in January, I was speaking with one of the staff members. And they told me that they have a daughter and a son-in-law who recently moved to the Chicago area, joined a faithfully reformed congregation, and they have been there for five years. They told me, but they're going to leave. They're going to move on. In those five years, not a single individual, not a single family ever invited them over their home. They said, why? Why stay? They don't seem to love us. They don't seem to care. And they're moving on. Friends, may such never be said of us. May such never be said of us. Number four, a caring congregation is a congregation where personal needs are noticed and ministered to in various ways, not neglecting those whom the Apostle James refers to in James 1.27 as the orphans and the widows in our midst. Let us not neglect to include in our social circles Those, for example, who have been divorced or come from broken homes simply because there's been that amount of pain in their history. Let us not neglect to include in our social circles the widows and the widowers in our midst simply because God and His providence has permitted the taking of their spouses from them. Let us not underestimate the healing mercies bestowed by an invitation out to coffee, or over for coffee, or out to dinner, the making of a meal, or a simple phone call, personal visitor, the sending of a card. Pastor Van Dyke and I hear all the time from our members and friends what those simple acts of kindness and remembrance and encouragement mean to folks. And you probably know that as well as I do. Have you participated in our Helping Hands ministry? or our Operation Neighbor outreach? If so, thank you. Thank you. If not, could you? Will you? Will I? Do you know someone who was sick or shut in? Someone who was facing a recovering from surgery? What did you do? What could you do? What did I do? What could I do? To minister to them in some way. Number five, a caring congregation is a congregation which follows up on friends who have moved away or have simply stopped worshipping with us. Have you noticed some folks who used to be here are not here anymore? If so, have you called them? Would you call them? Will you and I show them that we care about them in some way? Finally, we could share so many. A caring congregation is a congregation which loves people where they are and disciples them to where Christ wants them to be. That's our mission statement. That's our mission statement. And brothers and sisters, a caring congregation loves people enough to want to disciple them to where Christ wants them to be. And sometime individually as pastors and elders, or corporately as a congregation, such loving discipleship takes the form of discipline. Either officially as a congregation, or personally as a brother and sister in Jesus Christ. In fact, turn to the left a few pages with me, if you will, please. In Galatians 6, verses 1 and 2, the Apostle Paul puts it this way, Galatians 6, 1 and 2, he says, Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. We should restore him gently. Love enough to confront. Care enough to confront. But watch yourself, for you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Carry each other's burdens. Be a caring congregation. And in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ. Think of it. Think of it. You know, it's an astounding thing to think. Over the past five or six years, now think of this. It's a stunning statistic. We as a congregation have had some 50 to 60 families who were members here or who regularly worshipped with us who are no longer here. 50 to 60. Now, it's true, the vast majority of those moved away. The vast majority of those moved out of state to Florida or Georgia or the Carolinas or Michigan or Minnesota or Louisiana. I mean, I could name all the places or move far enough away in the state, like down the shore and so on, that it became impractical for them to be here. That is true. However. Some of them left because of doctrinal differences, some of them left because they succumbed to the the heresy of Harold Camping from Family Radio, that the church is dead and the church age is over and all that sort of thing. Some left because they were opposed to our Our relocation plans and others left because they said they wanted the emotional charge of contemporary worship elsewhere and that sort of thing. But, brothers and sisters, I confess to you as a pastor and as elders, as deacons, in all of that, the thing that probably hurts the most is when people leave and in essence say, in effect, four simple words. Nobody seemed to care. Nobody seemed to care. Ouch. Ouch. I know we're busy people. I'm a busy people. You're busy people. But, brothers and sisters, may such never, ever again be said of us. May it never be said of us. You see, according to the words of our text, a caring congregation is not simply characterized by forsaking the showing of favoritism. It is not simply characterized by living according to God's law. But a third and final characteristic of a caring congregation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is that such a congregation is aware of the day of accountability. It is aware of the day of accountability. Let's close out our text by looking at verses 12 and 13 of James 2. Turn with me, please. Here we read verses 12 and 13 of James 2. Speak and act, both imperatives with a sense of ongoingness, in your words and in your actions, in your behaviors. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom. Literally, the Greek could be translated by the law of liberty. The law of liberty. As someone has once so wisely said, and I quote, true liberty is living as we should, not as we please. Young people, did you hear that? True liberty is living as we should, not as we please. Adam and Eve learned that. When they violated the eating of the forbidding fruit command that God had given them, they weren't free. They became slaves to sin. And when you and I live for ourselves, do our own thing, go our own way, we become slaves to sin. We become tyrannized by Satan. We are not free. And that is why, by the way, in Psalm 19, verses 7-11, the psalmist David declares, the law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold. They are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By keeping them, by them is your servant warned. In keeping them, there is great reward. In other words, each and every one of us must love and live according to the Word of the living God. We must love and live according to the law of the living God, you see. And that is why back in the words of our text, the Apostle James declares, speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. Mercy triumphs over judgment indeed, as it did so gloriously and powerfully at the cross of Christ. For as the Apostle Paul declares in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 21, concerning Christ, God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Mercy triumphing over judgment. And that is also why in Luke 6, verse 36, our Lord Jesus exhorts His disciples by saying, without exception, be merciful. Be merciful just as your Father is merciful. Be merciful. just as your Father is merciful." And brothers and sisters, it's true. It's true. A caring congregation is well aware. Is well aware of the day of accountability. The day of accountability. You know, during my travels with Mission India, I also had the opportunity to worship in a small house church in a slum. In a slum. And we were out there, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. The poverty was incredible. And there were maybe 25 or 30 people jammed in, shoulder to shoulder, sitting on a cement floor. Sitting on a cement floor for the worship service. And just as was true, and the area was hardly bigger than this. This part of the platform here is barely bigger than that. Jammed in. And as was true for the other team members, I had the opportunity to share with that group of people, a group of untouchables, society's outcasts, by speaking through a translator who was speaking Telugu. It's one of the three thousand or so dialects in India. And as I began, I asked the people if they had heard of Zacchaeus. And they all started going sort of like this. And I'm saying this respectfully, it looked like bobbleheads. You know, that's that's how they're going. And I'm thinking, oh, shoot. And I said to the translator, what do I do now? They haven't heard of Zacchaeus. He said, no, they're saying yes. I said, oh, no is yes. OK, I I've got that. This means yes. So I knew that they knew Zacchaeus. So I went on to tell them that Zacchaeus was a despised man. I said Zacchaeus was despised by virtually everybody in his community. I said to them, just like you are. Just like you are. I said, but Jesus loved him. He knew him. He wanted to come to his house. He wanted to come into his heart. In fact, he saved his soul. And he changed his life. I said to them, by the grace of God alone, through faith in Jesus Christ alone, that same thing either is true or could be true for each and every one of you as well. When I got done speaking, there were tears in some of their eyes because I was only sitting a few feet from them. All of a sudden, they all broke out in spontaneous applause. Now as I was walking out of that little shack, one of the leaders of Mission India said to me, did you notice their response to what you said? He said, those untouchables, those outcasts of society can hardly believe, they never cease to wonder, the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That He loves them. That He died for them. And that He continues to care about them. And oh, my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, in essence, is it not true that that is, or well ought to be, the mission and vision of this and every true congregation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. A body of believers who personally, and practically, and powerfully, and passionately flesh out the caring of our Savior. Amen. Let's bow our heads and our hearts together In prayer. My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, love your neighbor as yourself. You are doing right. Speak and act those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom. Oh, our mighty God and ever faithful Heavenly Father, by Thy grace and mercy, by Thy strength and Spirit, may we increasingly be and become such a caring congregation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in whose holy name alone we pray. Amen.